Contemporary Furniture Maker David Margonelli

DAVID MARGONELLI IS ONE OF MAINE'S PREMIER MASTER FURNITURE MAKERS. HE HAS BEEN BUILDING MUSEUM QUALITY PIECES FOR NEARLY FORTY YEARS. HIS FLEXURE LINE OF FURNITURE FALLS INTO THE CATEGORY OF CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE, YET EXHIBITS QUALITIES, SUCH AS SIMPLE, CLEAN LINES, AND FUNCTIONALITY, FOUND IN SHAKER FURNITURE. THE IDEA FOR HIS FLEXURE LINE WAS BORN OUT OF HIS CLIENTS' NEEDS FOR VERSATILITY IN SMALLER SPACES. ALL OF DAVID'S PIECES ARE HANDMADE, AND ARE OF THE FINEST QUALITY AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET.

FOR INSTANCE, DAVID DESIGNED A CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE ROUND TABLE, WHICH EASILY SEPARATES INTO TWO DEMILUNE TABLES, WHICH WHEN COMBINED WITH HIS CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE SQUARE TABLE, FORMS HIS CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE LARGE DINING TABLE. SO BY PURCHASING ONE LARGE TABLE, YOU ARE REALLY BUYING FOUR TABLES.

FLEXURE, BY DEFINITION, IS A CURVE, TURN, OR A BEND, AND FLEXURE FURNITURE, WITH ITS CURVES, OFFERS MULTIPLE SPACE-SAVING APPLICATIONS. DAVID’S CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE WARDROBE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS AN “S” CURVE FRONT WHICH GIVES YOU MORE ROOM WHERE NEEDED IN THE CONVEX, FOR HANGERS, AND A NECESSARY SMALLER SIDE, IN THE CONCAVE, FOR DRAWERS. THE “S” CURVE FOOTPRINT IS GRACEFULLY SMALLER WHERE IT SITS, BLENDING INTO THE ROOM, AS OPPOSED TO THE TRADITIONAL BULKY, ELEPHANT-IN-THE-ROOM, BOX-STYLE WARDROBE. OTHER CHESTS IN MARGONELLI’S FLEXURE LINE USE CONCAVE AND CONVEX CURVED SIDES WHICH “NEST” TOGETHER TO SEEM AS ONE LARGE CHEST, OR STAND BEAUTIFULLY ALONE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE ROOM.

AS FLEXURE APPLIES TO REPOSE, OR SEATING, IT UTILIZES SMALLER FOOTPRINTS, AND CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT STRENGTHS IN VERSATILITY. HIS CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE SOFA CAN COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATE A PERSON WHO IS OVER SIX FEET TALL, AS WELL AS SOMEONE WHO IS FIVE FEET TALL. ITS CURVES MATCH ITS ACCOMPANYING PIECES, WHICH BLEND TOGETHER IN AN INVITING, COMFORTABLE, SMALLER FOOTPRINT.

MARGONELLI’S CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE COCKTAIL TABLE FITS EITHER A GLASS TOP, OR AN UPHOLSTERED TOP. FOUR SMALL COCKTAIL TABLES CAN BE LOCKED TOGETHER TO FORM ONE LARGE SQUARE TABLE, OR ARRANGED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS TO PROVIDE EXTRA SEATING WITH A PLACE TO SET A DRINK. (SEE VIDEO)

DAVID MARGONELLI IS A MASTER, WORLD-CLASS WOODWORKER AND ARTIST. HE LOVES WHAT HE DOES, AND IT SHOWS WITH EVERY SINGLE HAND-CUT DOVETAIL, HANDMADE DRAWER PULL, AND IN EACH DESIGN BORN OUT OF HIS CLIENTS' NEEDS. HIS SHOP IS NOT A PRODUCTION FACILTY. DAVID, AND THE TWO TALENTED CRAFTSMEN WHO WORK WITH HIM, MAKE EACH PIECE TO ORDER, ENSURING METICULOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL. FROM THE CAREFUL, DISCERNING SELECTION OF THE WOOD, TO THE FINAL COAT OF HIS TRADEMARK OIL/VARNISH MIX, EVERY PIECE THAT ENTERS HIS SHOWROOM IS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY. HIS CUSTOMERS WILL TELL YOU THEY ARE NOT BUYING FURNITURE ... THEY ARE PURCHASING ART.

Shaker Furniture

I spent about a month filming Maine furniture maker, David Margonelli, making two beautiful tiger maple chests with concave and convex curves. They are part of his Flexure line of furniture which incorporates curved pieces that nest together perfectly to appear as one larger piece, or stand on their own as his and hers, and provide different functions, such as coffee table sections that accept a glass top, or an upholstered top. I think it is inevitable that when two furniture makers spend some time together that the conversation will turn to Shaker Furniture, and that is exactly what happened with us. David said something very interesting which I believe holds true for the vast majority of furniture makers: "Shaker was my inspiration and my teacher". The only adornments in Shaker furniture are form and the wood, and Shaker methods of construction stand the test of time. Mortise and tenon and dovetail joints constitute the makeup of most all Shaker furniture, and are an absolute must for any furniture maker to master. Shaker was indeed my teacher too, and I can see the Shaker in David Margonelli's furniture: shape and the grain of the wood. And as the Shakers would hang their chairs on the wall while they swept the floor, David has provided similar function is his pieces.
I believe Shaker furniture can be an inspiration and teacher to people who don't have their own wood shop, especially to those who are looking to buy their first pieces. The simplicity of the design (form) makes it perfect for nearly any space. The grain and/or figure in the wood makes each piece it's own, with it's own unique presence. Its durability will surprise you. You can take comfort in knowing you will not have to buy the same piece again. If you can't cannot afford an entire dining room set, start with a table that can be accompanied by a wide variety of chairs and benches. Build your collection one piece at a time, because it is an investment. It is actually less expensive than buying cheap imported pieces every time you move. I believe that once people realize all the great things Shaker furniture has to offer that they will inevitably seek out other styles of furniture, such as Mission Furniture, Colonial Furniture, and Contemporary Furniture, which all share in form and the natural wood grains. Every local furniture maker can build Shaker. Some stay with it because it is their passion, and others, like David Margonelli, incorporate Shaker into their own designs.
I invite you to view two profiles at www.MaineFurniture.org: Chris Becksvoort (Shaker) and David Margonelli (Contemporary). They are masters at their craft, and if you look closely, you will see their similarities, even though their work is very different. Follow the links to their websites, and read what they have to say, and please keep visiting the site because we are adding woodworkers every week. Thank you!